About Us
Vision
Become a thriving and abundant community, in harmony with nature’s cycles, caring and cooperating creatively towards the agroecological transition, through the concept of ‘regeneration by use’.
Mission
To foster interaction between nature, agroecology, food, and local communities in semi-arid territories through demonstration, research, monitoring, cooperation, and education. To promote the ethical, conscious, and regenerative use of resources, increasing prosperity, resilience, and well-being for all living beings and the Earth.
Values
Terra Sintrópica is guided by the following values:
- Courageous and Bold
- Collaborative and Open
- Resilient and Agile
- Fair and Trustworthy
- Caring
The Team
Every day, our team of 14 passionate individuals committed to this territory works to create positive futures for all living beings. Their diverse professional and personal backgrounds fuel the agroecological transition in Mértola and the Baixo Alentejo.
Marta Cortegano
Board Member, Co-founder, Strategy and Advocacy Lead
Marta is a Forest Engineer with a Masters in Conservation and Management of Natural Resources and a Postgraduate degree in Sustainability Services. She has 20 years of experience leading large-scale participatory rural development projects in the Baixo Alentejo. As a co-founder and board member of Terra Sintrópica, she leads strategy, project management, and political advocacy for the association.
Inês Afonso Ximenes
Board Member. Administration and Finance Lead
With a degree in Applied Languages and over a decade of experience in administration and accounting, Inês is responsible for administrative, financial, and human resource management in the association.
Nuno Roxo
Board Member, Co-founder, Community Relations Lead
Born in Mértola and a local guide, Nuno is a co-founder of Terra Sintrópica and co-manager of PREC. Recognized for his versatility and deep local knowledge, he promotes community engagement and is instrumental in the association’s operations.
CARES TEAM
António Coelho
Co-founder, CARES Coordinator
A farmer, specializing in organic agriculture, syntropy, and regenerative practices, with over 14 years of experience in the region. António co-founded Terra Sintrópica, coordinates CARES and leads operations at Horta da Malhadinha.
Jorge Teixeira
CARES Coordinator
With a degree in Agronomy and two decades experience in agriculture in the Baixo Alentejo, Jorge brings technical expertise to the CARES team’s regenerative practices and supports the volunteer team at Horta da Malhadinha.
Diogo Mattos
CARES, Food Forest Coordinator
A biologist, teacher, and farmer with over 13 years experience, Diogo is an expert in successional agroforestry systems. He recently joined Terra Sintrópica as co-coordinator of CARES, while leading the food forest project in five local schools.
António Aires
Infrastructure Lead
A resident of Mértola, António is responsible for the development and maintenance of Horta da Malhadinha’s infrastructure, ensuring the smooth operation of the CARES space.
PREC Team
Antonieta Mata
Head Chef, Coordinator
Building on 15 years experience leading restaurant kitchens across the country, Antonieta brings rich and diverse professional experience to PREC, combining culinary creativity with regenerative principles.
Rosa Roxo
Host and Space Manager
Born in Mértola and with a multifaceted professional background, Rosa is the host and manager of the PREC Food Hub, overseeing ongoing remodeling and project development, and serving as a vital link between the association and the local community.
Marta Afonso
Host
Born in Mértola, Marta returned from Lisbon to join the PREC team, contributing to daily hospitality and community relations.
Project Team
Maria Canelhas
Project and Fundraising Manager
A sociologist with over 10 years experience in project management, Maria coordinates the TUI Care Foundation Field to Fork: Regenerative Alentejo project and the Ar.Co territorial strategy, while also being the lead for funding applications.
Renato Costa
Communications Lead
A communication specialist with experience in the NGO sector, Renato coordinates Terra Sintrópica’s communication.
Eva Moreno
Community Engagement Lead
A biologist, researcher, and regeneration practitioner, Eva fosters community involvement in Terra Sintrópica’s local projects.
Francisco Ramos
Project and Fundraising Manager
A philosopher by training, Francisco coordinates the holistic landscape restoration project and leads philanthropic fundraising initiatives in the association.
Co-founders
Dayana Andrade
Co-founder
A journalist, author, and long-time syntropic farmer, Dayana was essential in the creation of Terra Sintrópica, as she pioneered the Food Forest and CARES projects.
Felipe Pasini
Co-founder
An author, farmer, and global disseminator of syntropic principles, Felipe was a co-founder of Terra Sintrópica, supporting the establishment of CARES and other projects.
Katharina Serafimova
Co-founder
An entrepreneur and founder of several sustainability-related projects, Katharina was a co-founder of the association and continues to play an active role in Terra Sintrópica’s territorial strategy.
Raíza Rezende
Co-founder
Raíza is a nutritionist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of several regeneration-focused organizations (RHEA and AgroSystemic). She was a co-founder of Terra Sintrópica and continues to support the organization in strategic areas and event coordination.